A firefighter battles flames that engulted a car involved in a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday on the Merritt Parkway, which several drivers said was caused after they struck a coyote on the highway. Westport CT 11/14/12 less

A firefighter battles flames that engulted a car involved in a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday on the Merritt Parkway, which several drivers said was caused after they struck a coyote on the highway. Westport ... more

Photo: Westport Fire Department

Image 2 of 4

A multi-vehicle crash and car fire on the Merritt Parkway Wednesday morning was caused after several drivers said they hit a coyote that wandered onto the highway. Westport CT 11/14/ 12

A multi-vehicle crash and car fire on the Merritt Parkway Wednesday morning was caused after several drivers said they hit a coyote that wandered onto the highway. Westport CT 11/14/ 12

Photo: Westport Fire Department

Image 3 of 4

Smoking shell of a car that caught fire after a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday on the Merritt Parkway, which drivers said took place after they hit a coyote on the highway. Westport CT 11/14/12

Smoking shell of a car that caught fire after a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday on the Merritt Parkway, which drivers said took place after they hit a coyote on the highway. Westport CT 11/14/12

Photo: Westport Fire Department

Image 4 of 4

Coyote blamed for vehicle crash on Merritt

1 / 4

Back to Gallery

WESTPORT -- A coyote that wandered on to the Merritt Parkway in Westport during Wednesday morning rush hour is being blamed for triggering a multi-vehicle crash, which caused one of the cars to burst into flames.

The accident took place about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, between northbound exits 42 and 44, when several vehicles collided after drivers said they struck a coyote that had run on to the parkway.

One of the vehicles -- a Subaru station wagon -- caught fire and was engulfed in flames when Westport firefighters arrived on the scene.

No one was seriously injured during the incident, the firefighters said.

The crash prompted State Police to shut down the highway's northbound lanes during emergency operations, and southbound commuter traffic was tied up as well.